Experiences of mourning in caregivers of people diagnosed with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Mourning is a natural process that people go through as a reaction to the loss of a person or something significant, we tend to think of mourning only in the context of the death of a love one, but it can also occur as a reaction to the loss of a longed-for and idealized being, in this case it occurs when a person in the diagnosed with a disability. The research was conducted with the objective of understanding the mourning experiences of caregivers of people diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the Los Pipitos Matagalpa Center, august – december 2020. It was carried out through qualitative approach phenomenological design and exploratory research. The sample consisted of four caregivers affiliated with the Los Pipitos center in the city of Matagalpa, selected thought convenience sampling. The instruments applied were in-depth interview with the caregivers, a semi-structured interview with a psychologist working in the mental health area, observation guide for the caregivers. The main results show the existence of a painful process in the caregivers of people diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and one of the caregivers even presents a mourning unresolved. A lot of stress perceived, especially the attachment and overprotection they have to their relatives. Finally, a general intervention plan is proposed with strategies and psychological intervention techniques to cope with mourning in caregivers of people with cerebral palsy.